Cocktail Starter Pack

Right, so you want to get into the glamorous world of cocktail making? If Tom Cruise can do it, so can you - you just mix up a few drinks and enjoy the results... don't you?Unfortunately simply pouring out a gin and tonic doesn't quite qualify you to run your own cocktail bar. What if someone asks for a Shark's Tooth, or a Tom and Jerry, will you know what to do?

Don't worry, the Cocktail Starter Pack has come to the rescue! Starting with the Ultimate Bar Book, you are presented with more than 1000 modern recipes to begin your career with!Choose your favourites and get practising with the essential cocktail making tools in this kit; use the Pourer to pour out your spirits into the Jigger to get and exact measurement, mix up your concoction with the Mixing Spoon, give it a good shake in the Professional Boston Cocktail Shaker, then serve it by pouring through the Cocktail Strainer, cut off a nice slice of lemon with the Bar Knife, top it off with an extravagant Paper Cocktail Umbrella!

Before you know it you will have worked your way through to the last page of the Ultimate Bar Book with a wealth of cocktail knowledge stored away! A great place to start for a new home bar owner, the Cocktail Starter Pack also makes a fantastic gift for those with a bit of barware flair!

"This starter pack was excellent value for money. The bar book was of a very high standard. It contains hundreds of cocktail recipes as well as information about the numerous liquors. Highly recommended."

Susan Reay, 3rd November '13

Brilliant

"Bought as an 18th birthday gift and my sister loves it! Very good quality items and everything you need to get started whipping up cocktails."

Steph Brown - Gala, 3rd August '13

Cocktail Starter Pack

"I bought this for my son when he got into mixology. I was really impressed with it, the items are of a really high quality and a good size, not a tiny shaker as I've seen in many cocktail sets. Very reasonably priced. He has used it many times already and there is no sign of wear to them. I would definitely recommend this for people practising their mixology skills."

Katherine Cushion - Swindon, 7th January '13

Great Fun

"Excellent set with really comprehensive cocktail book. Huge fun had by all over Christmas and New Year. Makes a great present."

M Armstrong - Kent, 9th December '12

So Happy With This Set

"Great value - it's lovely equipment, and came within 2 days of ordering! Definitely recommend it."

Zoe - Brighton, 22nd November '12

Cocktail Starter Pack

"Everything you'll ever need to make cocktails at home - and the Ultimate Bar Book (worth £9.99 on its own) is an excellent addition; packed full of key information not only about cocktails (of which there is about 1000 contained inside its covers) but also the history of spirits, the processes they go through and other invaluable information. Well worth the price!"

Thomas Romeo - Glasgow, Scotland, 22nd September '12

Cocktail Starter Pack

"Great starter pack. Everything you need for a fab cocktail party. Fantastic bar book too. Great value for money."

Georgina Lewis - Isleworth, 29th August '12

Brilliant Everything You Need Plus More Ideal For Present For Birthday

"Gave to a friend for a birthday and we now have a girlie cocktail night once a month."

Rebekah McCabe - Middlesbrough, 16th July '12

Excellent Value For Money

"Having just built a bar this item had everything needed to start off our cocktail making!"

Tracy Houghton - Portsmouth, 26th April '12

Amazing Buy

"Fantastic quality item at a low price. Contains everything a cocktail enthusiast needs to get started. Purchased for my father as a gift, I don't think he's put the book down since & keeps finding new cocktail recipes to try with family and friends."

Gemma - Manchester, 22nd March '12

Drinkstuff says: Many thanks for your review Gemma. As a thank you we've added 5 points to your drinkstuff account, which is equivalent to £5 off your next order.

5 stars

"Excellent in all respects. Have used twice and would certainly recommend and use again."

Armstrong - Kent, 25th January '12

Cocktail Starter Pack

"A great product. All the items included are of excellent quality and the delivery of the order was very quick."

Sarah Peskett - Kent, 2nd January '12

Great Product

"I am very pleased with this pack, the delivery was quick enough and the pieces have a solid look and of good quality. The book is excellent as well, and once again it seems more expensive than it really is. Overall it was a great Christmas present and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who wanted to offer something original and with a good value for money."

Ricardo - Oxford, 29th December '11

Amazing Product!

"I have bought this starter pack because I love making cocktails, didn't think it would be that good for the price... But when it got here I was amazed! Use it all the time now when I have drinks at mine, everyone loves it and so do I. Would recommend this to anyone."

Darren White - Bradford, 22nd November '11

Fantastic

"Due to another company letting me down I found myself without a birthday present for my dad and time running out. Found this site online, ordered it and next day it arrived. FANTASTIC, everything looks great comes in a neat box I can quickly wrap up.So pleased with how fast and how good everything is, already looking at other things I can buy for myself this time."

Philip - Manchester, 20th September '11

Cocktail Starter Pack

"Arrived on Friday just in time for the weekend, used it twice, fun easy to use, mixed up a variety of delicious cocktails using the recipe book and a bit of improvisation."

Heena - London, 5th September '11

Perfect Starter Pack

"Everything you need to get started with cocktails and comes with a fab book full of great recipes."

Chloe - Abridge, 2nd July '11

Great Buy

"Bought this as a wedding present and it went down a storm. Really great buy and perfect for presents or even for yourself.The book is ideal for someone that wants to learn about cocktails and what to make/mix."

AJ - London, 16th June '11

Superb. Great For Beginners. Exceeds Expectations.

"I didn't have much of an idea beforehand how to go about mixing, but now I am really enjoying it. The book is really great, it's very accessible, very well written and its scope is huge. It's definitely been my favourite part so far, however the equipment is all of a really good quality. Very solid feeling, nothing flimsy or plastic, it certainly seems up to bar-standards. All in all, great. Shall hopefully be picking up some nice glassware next!"

Robert Wilson - Belfast, Northern Ireland, 11th June '11

Wicked Starter Pack

"The book tells you everything from what drinks to serve to what music to play. And the starter equipment is brilliant."

George - Preston, 16th May '11

Fantastic Bit Of Gear

"Arrived today, exactly half way through the allocated time slot.Good kit with a lot of the basics you need for cocktail making, good quality construction and now testing it with a vodka martini :)No complaints from house guests so far and it has been here less than an hour!Thanks drinkstuff for the quick order processing, will be ordering more equipment when I get some money!"

David Swain - London, 4th April '11

The Best!!!!

"I bought this pack for my sister's birthday so she can entertain her friends before a night out. I loved it, she loves it, it's a great set! All great quality, and the book is wonderful. Thanks!"

Donny - Northants, 14th March '11

Great Kit For Learners Or Mixologists

"I purchased this cocktail set as a present and it was very well received. The person who the gift was for is just starting out in making cocktails, so everything required was included. The extensive cocktail book not only has many, many recipes, but also includes everything you need to know about drinks' origins and how to prepare them, as well as a whole load more interesting and essential information.An excellent kit."

Chris - Glasgow, 21st February '11

Drinkstuff says: Many thanks for your review Chris. As a thank you we've added 5 points to your Drinkstuff account, which is equivalent to £5 off your next order.

Great Gift For A Cocktail Lover!

"I ordered this for my husband for Christmas and he loved it! The Cocktail Starter Pack contains everything that the budding cocktail maker could need and everything is of a really high quality. He spent a happy time on Boxing Day reading the very informative book and then produced a number of delicious cocktails. Fun was had by all!"

Katie Gallacher - Berkshire, 30th December '10

Drinkstuff says: Many thanks for your review Katie. As a thank you we've added 5 points to your Drinkstuff account which is equivalent to £5 off your next order.

Cocktail Starter Pack

"Bought this for my daughter's boyfriend for Christmas, he was very pleased with it, as I was with the service... ordered 9pm on Thursday evening and it arrive on schedule the following Tuesday to the Scottish Highlands, despite the adverse weather we have had this year. Would highly recommend this website."

Lesley McLintock - Dingwall, 29th December '10

Shaken and Stirred!

"I bought this gift set for my sister, who declared that I "would not find a present she would like" if it wasn't from her approved list.Well she didn't like it, she loved it! By far, this year's best present under the tree. I had a quick peek inside before I wrapped it up and am really impressed by the entire set, everything you could need minus the alcohol. All the components have a great, professional feel to them and I can't wait to try out a few samples this new year.I would highly recommend this to anyone short of gift ideas for awkward siblings or for someone who just likes a drink with friends."

Ben - London, 29th December '10

Drinkstuff says: Many thanks for your review Ben. As a thank you we've added 5 points to your Drinkstuff account, which is equivalent to £5 off your next order.

Perfect Wedding Gift

"I'm really impressed, all of the contents were high quality and I felt the box it was all packaged in was perfect as it was a snug fit and so I didn't have to wrap things up individually which, from earlier reviews, I was a bit worried about. I would have been tempted with a slightly more expensive kit if it included an ice crusher and a couple of glasses, but this was such a good value for money kit that I would have been happy to buy those as extras anyway. Thanks very much!"

Karen - Kidderminster, 21st November '10

Great Product

"Great product and speedy service.Bought this as a gift for my son and he thinks it just great, it appears it's given hours of fun already and he's only had it a week.Would recommend this starter pack and Drinkstuff to anyone."

Karen Cowen - Southbourne, Hampshire, 20th September '10

Excellent But Maybe a Bit Dangerous - All Good!

"I bought this for my boyfriend's birthday. It is the best thing I have ever bought. We have been building up our drinks cabinet so that we can try out different recipes. The book is excellent, tells you everything you need to know and all the bits you need are included in the pack. Such good value - I def recommend it if you are into your cocktails!Love it!"

Karen Jack - Inverness, 25th August '10

Drinkstuff says: Many thanks for your review Karen. As a thank you we've added 5 points to your Drinkstuff account, which is equivalent to £5 off your next order.

Excellent buy!

"Can't fault any of this.It's great and because Drinkstuff stock all the extra goodies we can have non-stop cocktail parties every weekend. Well actually, it was for the girlfriend, and she's the one that is having non-stop cocktail parties.Well worth the buy!"

David Farrell - Livingston, West Lothian, 20th May '10

Drinkstuff says: Many thanks for your review David. As a thank you we've added 5 Drinkstuff points to your account, which is equivalent to £5 off your next order!

Great!!!

"The thing is great, I bought it as a present and the person loved it:)And the shipping was so quick. Amazing."

Dominik - Holland, 13th April '10

Amazing

"So much FUN!!!! Cocktail starter kit just arrived. Very quick delivery and everything that was advertised. Had loads of fun working my way through the loads and loads of cocktails in my starter book. Great fun had by all the family. And friends have also decided to buy one too. Great job Drinkstuff."

Gareth Mahood - Belfast, 25th March '10

Drinkstuff says: Many thanks for your review Gareth. To show our appreciation, we've added 5 Drinkstuff points to your account, which is equivalent to £5 off your next order!

4 stars

"Has everything you need for a bar at home!! The only improvement I would make (the same as other people have said) is that as I bought it for a gift, if the set was made as more of a set than the objects in a box, it would be five stars.Although I did have fun wrapping all of the things individually!!"

Hayley Colton - Cheshire, 22nd January '10

Great starter set for a beginner!

"I'm currently at university and have always liked drinking different cocktails when I go out and thought, well, why not try mixing myself? So I researched the equipment I would need and then found this set, which includes everything I needed! It arrived very quickly and in great condition (well packaged with bubble wrap etc.) and I've already used it this evening to make a couple of Caipirinhas! I would add a photo but they've already gone!Everything in the set is of good quality, the shaker is really gr8 to use, nice sharp knife, and a very useful jigger. The only addition I think would be good for the set would be a few more pourers (I have quite a few bottles!).Overall a brilliant set at a great price, thanks for making the revision period just that little more bearable Drinkstuff!"

Daniel Read - Manchester, England, 14th January '10

Coctail Starter Pack

"This is a great combination to starter pack! It comes with everything you need to make your cocktails and a book with hundreds of recipes. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to start making their own cocktails!"

Jodie Taylor - Liverpool, 3rd January '10

Very pleased!

"I bought the kit for my girlfriend for x-mas. They sent it out really fast and the quality of the items is very good indeed. I was surprised to find a pack of black cocktail straws in my package as well, which I think they threw in as an extra. Overall perfect quality product, and great service. Highly recommended! :)"

Coen de Winter - Alkmaar, Holland, 1st January '10

Drinkstuff says: Thanks for your review Coen. The straws come as standard with every Cocktail Starter Pack, we just forgot to put an image of them on the website. Thanks for noticing it, we'll get that added to the site!

Unimpressed

"No display box, all the content were just delivered in a plain white cardboard box. I bought the item as a gift and I wouldn't have minded paying £40 if all the contents were displayed in a nice case, but it is very unimpressive. Therefore I believe it is misleading and not value for money and it would probably be worth buying the items seperately."

David Phillips - Somerset, 19th December '09

Drinkstuff says: Thank you for your comments David. It does state on the Cocktail Starter Pack page that the items are not boxed as a retail set, but are pieced together by us. If you bought the items separately they would cost you over £10 more. This set has been our most popular product of the past year and has proven to be good value for money to many customers. We are looking into having some packaging specially printed for the Cocktail Starter Pack in the new year, however this would further increase the overall price of the pack.

Cocktail Kit

"Fantastic piece of kit and a bargain."

John Hudson - Manchester, 14th December '09

Ace

"Truly great product very fast delivery! Looks great in my home bar cant wait to get the cocktails flowing!"

Laurie Mansell - Cornwall, 11th December '09

Delightful!

"Hi! I bought this item as a Christmas present for my husband so I'm still having to hide it. When the package arrived I discovered that the wooden muddler was missing. I contacted drinkstuff the next day and to my delight I wasn't even asked any questions regarding this item, I was just told that drinkstuff was very sorry and it would be in the post that day and true to their word I received this 2 days later. I am very impressed with the customer care and after sales care of this company.

I am delighted with this item as it seems to have everything you need to just get going. I also ordered a pack of cocktail glasses to go with this, which to start with I thought were on the small side, but after looking at these a couple of times I decided that they are actually very elegant and classy and I'm sure the accessories you get with this item will all go towards adding the fun factor to these cocktails.

I have already been telling friends at work who like the idea of drinking cocktails about this web site and I can't rate it highly enough. I will definitely be adding to my husbands collection on a regular basis as I have seen lots of great stuff and I will make sure he will always be able to deliver a stunning, elegant cocktail as and when the notion arises.

Thanks again for this lovely item."

Gillian Kirkcaldy - Glasgow, 23rd November '09

Drinkstuff says: Thank you for your comments Gillian. To show appreciation, we have added 5 drinkstuff credits to your account equivalent to £5 off your next order.

5 stars

"I have to say I have been very impressed with the starter kit. It came with some other things I ordered including glasses promptly in time for us to start practising some of the recipes in the extensive provided handbook for a big engagement party. The quality of the apparatus provided is very good indeed. Couldn't recommend enough. The book provides endless opportunity to make new cocktails for any given gathering you may be having and you have the confidence you have what you need to make them."

David - Brighton, 14th November '09

Impressive

"I bought this as a wedding present for friends of mine. I spent a fair amount of time looking for a cocktail set for them and this was the best value set I found. It also had more components that many of the other sets available. They were very impressed with the gift and have already invited me round for some cocktails :)"

Donna - Glasgow, 14th November '09

Great collection of items, but a shame there's no gift box

"Really good collection of items, all decent condition, and the book is absolutely brilliant. However, as I bought this as a birthday present, I was quite surprised that all the items came separately packaged in a large cardboard box, and that it had the feeling that it had all been somewhat thrown together. You could quite legitimately charge an extra couple of pounds, maybe up to £5 extra, on this item, and gather everything together in a nicer presentation box (doesn't have to be anything fancy, just a dark coloured, thick cardboard box, perhaps, surrounded by some coloured tissue paper, and it would make much more of a fantastic gift."

Lisa Coley - Dorset, 9th November '09

Drinkstuff says: Thank you for your comments Lisa. The Cocktail Starter Pack is put together inhouse to provide everything you need to get you started cocktail making. We do state that it does not come packaged as a set but we do appreciate your comments regarding the gift packaging. This is something we are looking into and hope to implement soon.

Great introductory pack, but not to be regarded as complete!

"The delivery was within 3 working days and email updates were sent regularly to keep me updated as to the parcels progress. The items are separately packaged within one box, but there was no evidence of scuffs or marks.

All of the various tools are useful items for cocktail making however people should be aware that this pack is a starter set, and not a comprehensive set. The book alone will prove that. Other tools that might be useful would have been:--citrus zester--hand held juicer/squeezerHowever you gain the essentials with this pack.

The book is easily the best feature of this set. It's extremely high quality, over 474 pages long, yet condensed nicely and contains all sorts of useful tips for cocktail making for beginners and experts alike. Note that the book does not have pictures of the cocktails which is its only flaw, but it contains equipment lists, over 1,000 recipes, glassware information, drink stock lists and detailed measurement conversions (which is damn handy as how many people work in ounces on a regular basis? :D). You are unlikely to need another book for a GOOD long while.

No glasses are supplied, but to include special cocktail glasses would only increase the price substantially, however a couple of Collins or Highball glasses would have supported the pack nicely possibly more so than the straws/umbrellas, but they were nice additions none the less.

All in all though this is a great pack for a cocktail beginner such as myself and the book will provide some good reading for a long while. All I need other than the odd trinket is a decent blender and some glasses!"

Luke Hector - Portsmouth, 9th October '09

Drinkstuff says: Thank you for your comments Luke. To show our appreciation, we have added 5 drinkstuff credits to your account, equivalent to £5 off your next order!

Cocktail Starter Pack - more than adequate

"This kit is really worth it. I would've paid more for it. The book that came with it has literally everything in it: from what to stock your bar with, hangover cures and how to set up cocktail parties. The delivery was fantastically quick and as soon as I received this, I made up a perfect margarita. This is definitely a must buy for anyone. Cheers!"

Kirill Volynkin - Gloucestershire, 30th September '09

The Little beginner, with the big plans!

"This was what I was looking for...for a looooooooooong time. Absolutely everything you need for the avid cocktail fan! A perfect Boston shaker, and better quality than most of the overpriced ones available. Standard measurement jigger, and hawthorn strainer; both stainless steel, both top quality. Your own muddler for those perfect summery Mojitos, or naughty a Daiquiri! And the book really is the surprise champion of this set. A well presented wealth of knowledge and recipes. Perfect buy, and such a small price to pay!"

Bryan W - Northern Ireland, 11th August '09

Cocktail Starter Pack

"The cocktail kit is excellent. Would have liked to have seen the citrus zester included in the pack and also a juicer would have been handy. The knife and the umbrellas are not really essentails as most people have a kitchen knife. Umbrellas are ok but maybe straws would have been more useful. But overall its a good starter pack and the book and other tools are excellent"

Stephen McQuinn - Dublin, Ireland, 14th July '09

Drinkstuff says: Thank you for your comments Stephen. We will take your comments on board as we develop new packs. Straws are now included with the Cocktail Starter Pack after frequent requests.

Guaranteed Quality and Excellent Value for Money!

"I came across drinkstuff via google due to planning on holding a cocktail party over the weekend and being my first cockatil party, what did I need? A cocktail set!

After searching for a while, I came across this product and I am very glad I found it. The product was shipped almost straight away and arrived within a day or two as promised. You cannot faulter the quality of the items - extremely high quality but yet such very good value! The bar book alone must just be worth the price of this set - it contains almost every imaginable cocktail you could want to make and explains everything from glass types down to the spirits and tools of the trade!

I am very much looking forward to using this set and can only but highly recommend you buy this item if you really want to impress at a cocktail party! Thanks drinkstuff!"

Daniel Jenkins - Kent, 10th July '09

Drinkstuff says: Thank you for your comments Daniel. To show our appreciation, we have added 5 drinkstuff credits to your account equivalent to £5 off your next order!

Definitely Recommended

"I have used your website twice now and have told all of my friends about it. The cocktail shaker set is excellent and a really good present idea for anyone, the book itself is worth buying. It has given us and our friends hours of fun already, not fun the day after!! Everything that I have ordered comes packaged very well, my only niggle was that one of my glasses was chipped on the rim, which disappointed me, but it still didn't stop me spending hours on the website looking for other things to buy!! I love this website and look on it every time I have a present to buy!! There's something for everyone."

Hayley Sawyer - Hertfordshire, 2nd July '09

Drinkstuff says: Thank you for your comments Hayley. We have contacted you by email regarding your chipped glass.

Great startup kit

"Cool product with everything you need to startup. Great quality tools and book is even better. Some great cocktails!!"

Nicholas Stofberg - London, 20th June '09

Cocktails are go!

"This is a good little cocktail kit, though I think it's a bit expensive, £40 is a tad extravagant in these times. However, I can't find it cheaper and it's better than buying the individual items. Since getting it I've made some really good cocktails with no previous experience.

I was a bit wary of buying the book, however, the book is fantastic, loads of recipes and a bit of history and background on the drinks. The compact size and robust cover make it perfect. I would highly recommend just getting the book.

Didn't think I need the jigger, but its worth its weight in gold for keeping the ratios correct.

The cocktail strainer, again I thought it was a bit of a novelty item, but I was wrong as it's pretty useful.

The muddler is good for mojitos (my favourite drink) and better than the pastry brush a previously used. Also doubles as an ice smasher!

The Twisted Mixing Spoon is useful and looks good, not really necessary though but adds a nice touch. Would buy again.

The bar knife is a bit poor and I haven't used the pourer or umbrellas.

All in all, you could probably save a couple of quid leaving out the knife/pourer and umbrellas or sell the kit with out it ;)

Summary: Very good especially book and shaker, could be a bit cheaper though."

Ed - Lichfield, 8th June '09

Drinkstuff says: Thank you for your review Ed. This Cocktail Starter Pack has proved equally popular with many of our other customers. We believe this pack to be excellent value for money, especially compared to the sold separately prices; the knife/pourer and umbrellas are essentially free! You won't find this pack anywhere else since the pack has been put to together by the drinkstuff team. To show our appreciation for your review, we have added 10 drinkstuff credits to your account, equivalent to Ã10 off your next order!

Cocktail Starter Set

"A great set to get you started with making cocktails. The book was full of different ideas for making cocktails. A great gift!"

Ms L Chester - Middlesex, 2nd March '09

5 stars

"Excellent!!!! Well worth the money. Arrived within a few days and all securely packaged. Had a cocktail party at the weekend, and it was a great success. Will defo be ordering more stuff to build up my bar!!!!!"

Leanne Derwin - Glasgow, 16th February '09

Cocktail Starter Pack

"My boyfriend bought this for me for Valentine's day, and it is sooo good. The bar book is full with all the information needed. I am finding the Boston shaker a little hard to get used to when trying to get the two apart after shaking my cocktail but I'm sure that will come with more practice?! (unless anyone can give me some hints?) I still think this set is fantastic and especially for those who haven't made cocktails before. Going to be many cocktail nights in the future!!"

Carly Brockhurst - Hove, 16th February '09

Drinkstuff says: Thank you for your comments Carly. Here's a little tip: If you tap the rim of the steel part of the shaker, it will pop right off. If you try to pull it, twist it, or tap above the seal, you will struggle to remove it. We hope that helps!

"I bought this as a present for my husband who has just begun to get a taste for cocktails and mixing them. He was delighted with all the equipment - suitably professional and of good quality. The Bar Book has to have been the best bit - full of fascinating facts and intriguing recipes with full some explanations for someone starting out. In fact everyone stuck their nose in this book over Christmas - the cover and old fashioned/antique style binding were universally seductive! All in all - highly recommended."

Vanessa Gajewska - Bristol, 3rd January '09

5 stars

"I got the cocktail set for my sister for Xmas who is in the cocktail society at university.. she loved it and couldn't believe how much was included and how professional the stuff was. A really excellent kit."

Charlotte Jennings-Sewell - Bromley, 29th December '08

Cocktail starter pack

"I bought the starter pack for my boyfriends birthday. I was a little unsure as he used to work in cocktail bars all around the world and he knows his stuff. However I needn't have worried, he loved it! Especially the quality boston cocktail shaker!"

Jessica Laurent - Hythe, 2nd December '08

This product is great!!!

"It comes with everything that you could need and it will certainly make my boyfriend extremely happy on Christmas day as this is all he's wanted for years! The book is really great, with lots of handy tips - I'm sure this will be one merry Christmas! The only thing that could improve this set is a proper cocktail shaker."

Nix - Norwich, 3rd November '08

Drinkstuff says: Thank you for your comments Nix. This is in fact a Professional Boston Cocktail Shaker as used by flair and mixology bartenders.